Stand By Me
by Brackenmask
Summary: Three kits discover that their clan has left without them after a deadly battle. This leads to a perilous journey searching for where their clan has refuged to. Can these three kits survive? R&R please.
1. Hiding

An idea popped into my head and I thought it would be interesting. So I made it into a story. Tell me what you think. This story takes place before Firestar.

* * *

"Hide here." A golden she-cat meowed to her three kits. She lifted each kit and set it into a small hole in the tree. "Don't come out unless it's quiet, and even then be careful." The golden she-cat grabbed some ferns and stuck it in the hole, shielding the three kits.

"Momma!" one kit cried. The golden she-cat glanced back worriedly then went on ahead, she disappeared behind the bushes.

"Where did she go?" one of the kits asked. She was a small gray-black kit, she stared at her older brother.

"I don't know." He mumbled.

"I want momma." The other kit whimpered. The small tortoiseshell she-kit curled up and wept.

"Stop Fernkit." The gray-black she-cat meowed. Fernkit quieted down.

"Sorry, Smokekit, I'm just scared." The young kit apologized.

"Quiet down you two, I hear cats fighting." The oldest kit mewed. He used his paws to move some of the ferns and peeked out. The moonlight made his pale brown coat shimmer. Suddenly he heard a bark.

"What's that, Dustkit?" Smokekit asked.

"Remember when Nofoot told us when a 'dog' bit off his foot. It barked like crazy. I think that's a dog." The young kit recalled the time when the elder, Nofoot, told them the story on how he lost his foot.

The three kits sat their, listening to cats yowl and dogs bark. The sat there and waited for their mother to return, or at least for another warrior to come and get them. Slowly, Fernkit dozed off. Smokekit stayed awake with Dustkit just a little while longer until her eyelids got heavy. Then she dozed off as well.

Dustkit sat next to the ferns, staring out into the dark forest. The noise was dying down. The young kit was getting weary.

"Maybe a few minutes of sleep won't hurt." He settled down and fell asleep right away.

In the morning, Smokekit pressed her nose against Dustkit's shoulder. His green eyes flew open and he lifted himself quickly from the ground.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Is it morning already?"

"Yes." Smokekit nodded.

Fernkit was just waking up. "Where's momma?" she asked.

"I don't know." Dustkit mewed. He turned towards the patch of ferns. He poked his head out of the hole and looked out. He heard nothing, there was only silence. Smokekit began to push out the ferns.

"What're you doing? Momma said the ferns would shield us." Ferkit panicked.

"I'm going to see what's out there. Momma hasn't returned, there must be something wrong." Smokekit explained. She slowly slid down the tree and made her way into the bushes.

"Don't go there! What if there's still danger?" Dustkit squeaked as loud as he could but Smokekit didn't listen. Dustkit leaped down from the tree and followed Smokekit. Fernkit cried for her mother for a few moments then reluctantly followed her siblings.

Smokekit approached the clearing of Thunderclan camp. There were bodies of cats everywhere. She gasped. Dustkit did the same. Fernkit just curled up into a ball and began to whimper.

"Momma?" Smokekit called. There was no reply.

"Where did the rest of the clan go?" Dustkit asked Smokekit.

"I dunno." She replied. She looked around, she recognized these warriors.

Suddenly they heard Fernkit scream with fear. "Momma!" she yelled.

Smokekit and Dustkit quickly rushed over to where Fernkit was. They saw a small golden cat lying in a pool of blood. Smokekit stepped into the pool of blood, still fresh, and sat next to their mother's face.

"Wake up." She begged. There was no response, not even a twitch.

"This is blood. Remember that time you accidentally scratched me and red stuff came out? Momma said that was blood. It hurt." Dustkit mumbled.

"Wake up." Smokekit pressed her paw on her mother's cheek. No happened. "She's not waking up. She's so cold."

The confused kits sat next to their mother's cold lifeless body trying to warm her up, hoping she'd wake up. They didn't know what was going on, or where the clan was. They were abandoned…alone.

Lost.

* * *

Poor kits. Find out what happens to themin the next chapter.


	2. On their own

Chapter 2

"What're we supposed to do now?" Smokekit whispered into her brother's ear.

The pale brown kit did not respond. He sat in the puddle of blood next to his mother. His eyes tightly shut and his paws tucked under him.

"It's all a dream." He mewled out loud. "This can't be real."

Fernkit was sulking next to their mother's dull golden fur. Smokekit went over to her mother's face and stared into those lifeless eyes. She hoped for a spark, he mother making a small movement, or whispering a comforting lullaby. None of that happened.

"We can't just stay here all day." Smokekit pushed her brother with her paw. The young pale brown kit rolled over. His fur was now covered in his mother's blood. He just laid there, still mumbling words, still hoping that'd he'd just wake up.

"Momma's not coming back" Smokekit yelled. After her sister heard, she made a loud whining whimper and went back to her sulking. Smokekit was now frustrated. She padded around back and forth impatiently. She was confused, she didn't know where to go or what to do.

"I'm leaving." She finally said. Dustkit opened his eyes and raised his head.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going to find our clan." She responded. With that, she turned around and trotted off.

Dustkit's eyes widened. "You don't know what' out there!" he yelled. But Smokekit ignored him.

Dustkit lifted himself and stared at his sister. She was still weeping and sulking. "Come on, Fernkit, let's go." He meowed.

Fernkit raised her head a little and shook it. "I'm not leaving momma. What if she wakes up and--"

"She's not waking up!" he yelled, cutting his sister off. "She's never going to wake up!" he cried. "We gotta go find our clan. We have to."

Fernkit was stunned. She stared at her mother for a long time. She was the runt of the litter, she was the closest with her mother too. Her two siblings liked to venture off alone but she would always stay by her mother's side. It was hard for her to leave.

"Let's go." Dustkit encouraged her to come along with him.

"Good-bye momma." She sniffled. Then she turned away and slowly followed her brother out of camp.

The two kits caught up with their sister who wasn't far ahead. Smokekit was making her way up the ravine. Her brother and sister had finally caught up. The kits make their way up the steep hill, each step was harder to take. They were growing tired and weak. They had no food, no water for at least a day now, kits can't survive long.

Once they made it to the top, the three kits collapsed. "We've got to hunt." Smokekit managed to whisper as she was still panting hard.

"Too…tired." Dustkit whispered. Fernkit stretched her body out and took deep breaths. Smokekit finally regained her breath. She slowly got up. She took a few steps, each one was painful for her swollen paws.

"We have to hunt." She meowed. She slowly moved her aching paws and walked off, searching for prey. Dustkit got up after a few moments and followed her. He left Fernkit behind.

"Stay here, we'll return with prey." He quickly said. Then he dashed off towards his sister. Fernkit gave a brief nodded, her weaker lungs made it harder for her to regain her breath.

Smokekit and Dustkit were side by side. Suddenly Smokekit saw something passed by. The two kits crouched down, that was there instinct. They wait for a few moments before they attacked. Smokekit dashed out towards the creature. It was a mouse! She snapped her jaw, and caught the mouse tail. It was squealing for help, it tried to escape but Smokekit had it by the tail.

"You caught a mouse!" Dustkit mewed excitedly.

"Kill it." She attempted to say with the mouse still trying to get away. Dustkit pounce onto it, and broke the neck by biting it.

"Good." Dustkit mewed. They were lucky for their first try. They had no training, but they practiced pouncing on leaves and sticks. They would have to learn everything on their own if they were to survive. They would have to rely on their instincts.

Smokekit and Dustkit dragged the large mouse back to the top of the ravine. Their sister, Fernkit, was lying next to a tree. Once she saw her siblings, she rushed over.

"You caught something!" she squeaked. "Let's eat."

Dustkit, Smokekit and Fernkit crouched around the large mouse. It was well fed so this would do for all three of the kits.

This was the beginning of their journey. Soon they would have to leave and go farther out into Thunderclan territory to find their clan.

* * *

Next chapter is when the plot starts heating up. The three kits have made their first kill, but will they be lucky when they try agian? Three young kits look pretty delicious to owls and hawks...find out what happens! Stay tuned!


	3. Dark paths ahead

Chapter 3

The three kits were low to the ground, stocking a vole. Dustkit dashed out and went for it. Smokekit watched carefully, Fernkit was nervous. They could here rustling, then all of it stopped. Dustkit returned with a vole in his mouth.

He dropped it onto ground. "I caught it!" he mewed excitedly.

This was their third day on their own. They were a little ways away from the ravine, near Snakerocks. The three kits began to nibble on the vole. Fernkit heard something loud in the distance.

"Dog?" she cocked her head. She twitched her tail nervously. Suddenly she heard it again. "Let's run away!" she urged her siblings.

Dustkit raised his head. Another loud noise sounded, that got Smokekit's attention.

"It doesn't sound like a dog." She mewed. She approached her nervous sister and licked her shoulder, trying to make her more comfortable.

"I don't think that's a dog either. We heard a real dog on the…" Dustkit paused. "On the night momma went off to go fight. Then she never woke up." That painful memory filled their heads, they were saddened.

Smokekit tried not to think of it. "Let's go check out that loud noise." She mewed, trying to keep her mind off of her mother.

Dustkit nodded and led the way. Fernkit shivered, she didn't move for a very long time. Finally she took a few steps forward. Smokekit encouraged her to come along. She did, but she was a few fox-lengths away from her siblings.

Dustkit came to a halt as he near the dark path. Suddenly a large creature roared by. Dustkit fell backwards and Smokekit curled up into a little ball. Fernkit bravely ran over to Dustkit.

"A-are you alright r-right?" Fernkit stuttered. She kept glancing at the dark path, very nervous and scared. Her heard was pounding rapidly. She took a gulp and looked at her brother.

"I'm fine." He meowed. "What was that?"

"It's a monster!" Fernkit yelled. "It tried to eat you. Let's get away from here." Smokekit uncurled herself and made her way towards her siblings.

"I wanna see that again!" she mewed excitedly.

"You looked scared, you curled up into a ball." Dustkit scowled.

"I know, but I wanna see it again! They don't come off the dark path, right?"

"I don't think so." The pale brown kit mumbled.

"Then they won't attack us." Smokekit waited by the side of the dark path, waiting for another loud creature to roar by. One was coming, Smokekit's eyes widened. Dustkit slowly backed away from the dark path. Fernkit sheltered herself behind some trees.

"Here it comes." Smokekit meowed. The loud monster was very close, a few tail-lengths away from Smokekit. Its speed made a large gust of wind, making the dark gray kit lose her balance. She fell over giggling.

"Smokekit!" Dustkit yelled. He ran over to her.

"That was so cool!" she squeaked with excitement, then she got up onto her paws and jumped on top of the dark path.

"Get away!" Fernkit yelled from the trees. "The monsters will eat you!" she cried.

"No! Smokekit!" Dustkit jumped onto the dark path with her and shoved her off, back onto the grass.

Suddenly a monster was approaching. Dustkit was still on the road. He froze. Smokekit jumped back onto their and pushed Dustkit away from the dark path. She, too, jumped off just at the right time.

Fernkit came rushing over. "What were you two thinking?" she rasped.

"I don't like this dark path anymore, let's go." Dustkit meowed.

Smokekit wanted to stay and watch the monsters roar by but she knew that the three of them had to stick together in order for them to survive.

"Besides, we have to go find our clan. I don't think they're here." Dustkit added.

The three kits trotted off into the forest. It was getting dark and they need to find shelter fast before a predator got them.

"Find a tree-hole or a big crack in a rock. We can hide in there." Fernkit suggested.

The three brave kits wandered around searching for shelter. Dustkit's ears twitched, he raised his head and saw a large creature sitting on a branch.

"Hoot...hoot." the creature hooted. "Food…hoot…flesh and blood…hoot."

"Did it say blood?" Fernkit gulped, she was now very familiar with that word. "I couldn't really understand." She whispered into Smokekit's ear.

"Flesh and blood…hoot…prey….hoot-hoot." It said. It had a thick accent that was hard for the kits to understand.

"What's flesh?" Smokekit asked.

"I don't know but we better run! I think it thinks that we're food!" Dustkit mewled.

The three kits dashed off. The hooting creature spread its wings and flew after the three kits.

"It's a bird!" Smokekit meowed to her siblings. "Momma said that there were birds at night that ate kits who wandered away from their nursery! She was talking about this one!" the dark gray she cat explained. "I forgot what momma called it, but she told me they hoot a lot."

"Get that hoot-hoot away from me! I don't want it to eat me." Dustkit yelled, his blue eyes fixed on the hoot-hoot's talons.

The hoot-hoot swooped down, it's talons ready to wrap around its victim and carry it away. Fernkit was starting to lose her breath. She fell behind. The hoot-hoot was right behind her.

"Help!" she squealed. "The hoot-hoot is going to eat me! Help!"

She could feel the talons closing in on her. The sharp nails rubbing against her skin, splitting into small scratches.

"Help!" she cried.

* * *

If you didn't figure out what a hoot-hoot is, it's an owl. The kits are still learning, they don't know what everything is yet, so they call owls, hoot-hoots. They'll be saying more kittish terms as the story goes on, but I'll explain it.What will happen to poor Fernkit? Find out in the next chapter! Please, tell me what you think. Thank you for reading. 


	4. Never able to rest

Chapter 4

The hoot-hoot was right at Fernkit's tail. Dustkit and Smokekit were ahead. They could hear Fernkit's cries for help. Dustkit whipped around and dashed back to save his sister. Smokekit stopped and turned back, she stood still and watched her brother.

"Are you crazy? You'll die too!" Smokekit yowled.

"We've got to stick together! Fernkit is our sister." Dustkit meowed. "How could you be so selfish? And you always get in the way."

Smokekit was hurt. "Selfish?" she questioned. "I'm not selfish!" she yelled, but her brother paid no attention to her.

Dustkit leaped forward with his claws ready to attack. The young kit pummeled into the hoot-hoot, making it fall to the ground. The hoot-hoot got back onto its feet and began to flap its wings furiously. Fernkit stopped running and looked back.

"Dustkit!" she squeaked.

The hoot-hoot began to peck Dustkit, taking out small clumps of fur. Dustkit tried to get away but the hoot-hoot was too strong. Fernkit feared the hoot-hoot and didn't want to get near it, but she knew what she had to do. She dashed towards her hoot-hoot and jumped onto it.

"Go away!" she yelled. She dug her small claws into the hoot-hoot's belly and bit its neck. The hoot-hoot flapped its wings around, feathers were flying around everywhere. Finally, Fernkit let go and fell to the ground. The hoot-hoot ruffled its feathers and flew away.

Fernkit watched as the hoot-hoot flew away. Then she turned towards Dustkit. Her brother lay there, motionless and bloody. She rushed over to him and pressed her nose against Dustkit's flank.

"Dustkit…" she mumbled. "You save me. Don't go now, I need you here."

Suddenly the young kit gasped for air. His eyes flew open and he kept gasping for air, trying to regain his breath.

"You're alive!" Fernkit mewed excitedly.

"Is the hoot-hoot gone?" he questioned with a hoarse voice.

"Yes." She licked her brother's wounds to make him more comfortable.

"I'm fine." He mewed. He slowly got up and stretched his legs. His wounds were bleeding but they were minor. He licked a few of them for a moment then sat up straight and looked around. "Where's Smokekit?"

Fernkit looked around. "I don't know."

Just then, Smokekit walked towards them. "I'm here." She mewed plainly. "Let's go." She avoided eye contact with Dustkit and walked off.

The three kits were off again. They were deep in the forest, many pine trees were surrounding them. Smokekit took the lead, she avoiding speaking with her brother and paid no attention to her sister.

"Don't you think Smokekit is acting kind of odd?" Fernkit whispered into her brother's ear. "She isn't talking at all, but she always talks. Did something happen between you two?"

Dustkit sighed. "I called her selfish." He grunted.

"Selfish?" Fernkit cocked her head.

"It means that she only cares about herself." He explained.

Fernkit looked on ahead at her sister. Then she turned back to her brother and gave a small nod. "I guess she is kind of selfish."

Dustkit meant what he said but he also felt guilty. Smokekit might have been selfish but she was still his sister. "I think I'll go tell her I'm sorry." He mewed. Then he trotted forward.

"Hey there Smokekit." He mewed. The dark gray she-kit didn't react, she just kept on going as if she couldn't hear or see her brother. The pale brown kit grunted and sighed.

"I'm so--" he started.

"Just get away from me! I'll just get in the way again." She interrupted. Then she turned away and stormed off.

"Don't leave! We have to stick together!" he yelled. But his sister kept on going. The young tortoiseshell kit came running up.

"Where is she going?" Fernkit asked.

"I don' know!" he snapped. "She just left and now she's mad and all I wanted to do was apologize! I hate her. I wish she was gone." He yelled.

Fernkit lowered her head. She watched as her sister disappeared behind the trees. Suddenly she heard a yowl.

"Smokekit?" she mewed. Then she dashed off towards her sister's direction. Dustkit slowly followed.

Fernkit saw her sister being picked up by a large creature. She backed away in fear. Dustkit stared upwards at the creature and gulped.

"What is it?" Dustkit asked.

"I think momma called it a Twoleg. Remember when she warned us about those creatures that walked on two legs? She said that they'd take us away to their nests." She explained. A feeling of sorrow ran through her as she remembered her mother's voice.

"That's Twoleg must be taking Smokekit back to its nest!" Dustkit meowed worriedly. Suddenly he remembered that he was mad at his sister. "I-I don't care if that Twoleg takes her away." He stuttered. "Let's go find our clan." He turned away.

"Smokekit is in trouble." Fernkit twitched her tail and kept an eye on her sister being taken away.

"I don't care about her." The young pale brown kit mewed.

"You said we have to stick together! We can't just leave her."

"I don't care!"

Fernkit curled her lip. "Fine." Then she turned away and chased after her sister.

Duskit gave a furious groan and followed Fernkit.

They watched the Twoleg stick Smokekit into its nest. It slammed the door shut. The two kits were sitting by the fence, they stared at the nest hoping to see their sister.

Fernkit crept under the fence, Dustkit did the same. They were getting closer to the door, Fernkit's tail began to twitch nervously.

"Food! Food!" a loud bark was heard. The two kits froze and looked around. They saw a large creature with sharp fangs. It was drooling from the mouth and it wagged its tail.

"Chase! Food! Chase!" It barked again.

Fernkit and Dustkit gave each other a worried glance. "Dog!" Dustkit yelled.

The kits made a run for it, but the fence was surrounding them. They didn't have enough time to crawl up the fence. The dog was right at their tails, snapping every few steps.

Fernkit stumbled and fell to her side. She was panting hard and too tired to move. "Fernkit!" Duskit yelled.

He stood by his sister and stared into the dog's eyes. The dog snarled and bared his teeth.

"Food! Food!"


	5. Soon

Chapter 5

Dustkit's fur bristled. He bravely swiped his claw around, scratching the dog's nose. It turned away and shook the pain away.

"Run!" Dustkit yelled. Fernkit and Dustkit split up. The dog was now furious. It growled and chased after Dustkit. The pale brown kit dashed for some bushes, that was Fernkit's chance to crawled under the fence and escape. The dog was paying no attention to her.

She crawled under the fence and to a sigh of relief. But she was still tense. Her brother was still in there, trapped between the fence and the dog. Fernkit had an idea. She began mewling and walking around. That caught the dog's attention.

"Food! Chase! Food!" it barked. It was over to Fernkit and tried to jump over the fence, but couldn't. Fernkit kept on teasing it by mewling and waving her tail around. The dog began to whine and bark.

Duskit slowly crawled out of the bushes and tried to find another hole under the fence. He spotted one a few tail-lengths away. With a dash and a plunge, he managed to crawl out. Duskit ran over to his sister and they both made their way back to the forest.

"Thanks a lot." Dustki meowed.

"No problem." Fernkit mewed. "We have to stick together, I couldn't let you be eaten by that dog."

Dustkit took a deep breath and sat under a large tree at the edge of the forest. "Yeah, stick together." He mumbled recalling Smokekit begin taken away. "We have to save Smokekit." He mewed.

"We can't get in there, she'll have to find her own was out. But we can wait for her here." Fernkit mewed. "I'm sure she'll come back to us." She mewed encouragingly. "Let's hunt and then we'll sleep in that bush for the night." Dustkit agreed. The two kits scampered off to find some food.

Smokekit tossed and turned. "Help me!" she squealed. She got her claws tangled with something soft. She finally stopped struggling and opened her eyes. Her claws were tangled with something soft, kind of like moss.

"Twoleg moss?" she questioned. She slowly got her untangled. For a long while, she stared at the Twoleg moss. If felt like her mother's warm fur. It was soft, warm and comforting. Then she looked around her surroundings. The were large barriers, blocking her from the outside world.

"I'm inside a Twoleg's nest." She said to herself. The curious kit slowly crawled off the Twoleg moss and one the slippery ground.

"This isn't dirt. It's hard and slippery like ice." She mewed. The kit took a few shaky steps forward, finally she found she balance. She crawled near one of the barriers and saw sunlight come through a whole.

"Freedom!" she yowled. She jumped up to the hole and was ready to escape. She was sitting at the edge of the hole and took a step forward, suddenly she hit something. She was blocked.

"Another barrier?" she mewed with confusion. "But I can't see it."

"It's called a window." A voice sounded behind her. Smokekit gasped and whipped her head around.

"Don't be afraid." The voice meowed. Out of the shadows came a large, plump, cat. He had long white fur with a ginger patch covering his right eye and a ginger tail. "I'm Samson." He meowed unenthusiastically.

"Hello, Samson. I'm Smokekit!" she mewed excitedly, finally seeing an older cat.

"What an odd name." the fat cat meowed. "Where did you come from?"

"The forest." She responded proudly. "I'm part of Thunderclan. You haven't seen them, have you?"

"What is Thunderclan?" Samson looked confused. "Um- the forest? What were doing, wandering around all alone? You're just a kitten."

"I'm not all alone. My mother was killed by a dog and my clan disappeared. My brother and sister were helping me look for our clan. Then I got separated because your Twoleg took me away." Smokekit explain.

"Twoleg?" Samson cocked his head.

"That thing!" Smokekit pointed with her nose as a Twoleg approached her. "Samson, get it away from me!" she squeaked.

"He's no harm." He mewed. The large Twoleg picked up Smokekit and set her down on the ground next to Samson, then walked away.

"No harm done." Samson chuckled. "I see that you don't like it here. I'll help you escape." He mewed.

"You will?" A glint of hope made Smokekit's tail twitch.

"Yes. We must wait for my owner to sleep, and then we can escape. I know a way out." Samson meowed.

Smokekit couldn't wait until the sun went down. "I hope Dustkit and Fernkit are safe." She mumbled to herself.

"C'mon, you should get something to eat. You look awfully skinny." Samson meowed. He walked over to a bowl of kittypet food. "Eat some." He insisted.

Smokekit was awfully hungry. She slowly crept up towards the food and sniffed it. It had an awful smell but she had no choice. She opened her mouth and took a mouthful of food. It tasted horrible, but she chewed it and swallowed the disgusting food.

"It's very good." She meowed to Samson. She lied.

"You like it? Well I hate it." He twitched his tail. "Every day I get the same thing. It gets tiring."

"You should come to the forest, it has a lot of prey." Smokekit meowed. The thought of the forest made her toes tingle, she couldn't wait until she escaped.

"Nah. I don't belong in the forest." Samson meowed. "I belong here."

Smokekit looked a bit disappointed that Samson was interested in the forest. "Well, I guess you have your own opinions." She mumbled.

"Yes. Now eat up, you're going to need some energy." He meowed. Smokekit stared at the food and took another agonizing bite, but pretended to enjoy it. Soon she'd be back in the forest with her siblings.

Soon.

* * *

Another chapter passed. Fernkit and Dustkit are out of danger for now, but will Smokekit escape and find her siblings? Will Fernkit and Dustkit survive a day alone with just the two of them? Find out in the next chapter!


	6. Together again

Sorry it took so long for me to update...this is the next exciting chapter of Stand By Me. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 6

The moon was high, the Twolegs were asleep. It was time.

"Smokekit, wake up." Samson whispered into her ear. The small kits yawned and opened her eyes.

"Is it time?" she asked sleepily. Samson nodded. Suddenly the excitement tingled her toes, she got up and followed him to the window.

"We can get out that, there is a see-through barrier blocking the way." Smokekit's hopes began to fall.

"The Twolegs leave it open at night." He mewed. Smokekit perked her ears. "Follow me." The large cat jumped next to the window, Smokekit did the same.

"Yay! I'm free!" she squealed. She was just about to charge through until Samson put his paw on her tail.

"Can't you see that there is a screen blocking the way?" he meowed.

Smokekit stuck her claw into the screen, suddenly her claw got caught in the tiny holes. "Help!" she mewed helplessly. "Get me out of this claw-tangler!"

Samson sighed and used his nose to unhook Smokekit's claws. "Thanks." The young kit meowed. "So, if this is blocking the way, how are we going to get out?"

"Just watch." Samson unsheathed his claws and lifted himself on his hind legs and hooked his claws onto the screen. Then he used his strength to break the screen. Two large holes appeared, Smokekit could fit out!

"Thank you Samson!" she pressed her head against his chest.

"You better go before my owner- I mean twolegs, wake up." Sansom nudged her out the hole. "Oh, yeah…carefully about the dog, he's asleep just try not to make a sound." He warned.

"Thank you Samson." She jumped down from the window onto the ground. "Good-bye!" And with that, she dashed away.

"Good luck." He whispered.

Fortunately, Smokekit made it out the yard without waking the dog. She went off in search for her siblings. She could smell a faint scent but she didn't know where to go. Suddenly she heard some rustling in the bushes.

"Dustkit? Fernkit? Is that you?" she gulped.

"Smokekit?" a familiar voice mewed. Suddenly a small pale brown kit jumped out. "It's me Dustkit."

Smokekit sighed with relief. "It's you!" she ran up to him and nudged him.

Dustkit backed away. "I thought you were mad at me?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped and I shouldn't have been selfish and careless." She apologized.

"I'm sorry to have gotten you so mad." Duskit mewed. The two kits finally forgave each other.

"Where's Fernkit?" Smokekit asked, looking around to she if she could see her sister.

"I don't know. I lost track of her when I went hunting, I'm looking for her right now." Dustkit replied.

Smokekit and Dustkit went off to go look for their sister. As dawn came, they could see better. Smokekit spotted a few large rocks, and a river right beside it. Then she heard something familiar.

"I'm sinking!" the voice mewed. Smokekit knew exactly who that was.

Fernkit.

Without another moment to lose, she charged towards the river. Dustkit followed behind her. The two kits came to the edge of the river. Dustkit frantically searched for Fernkit. Smokekit saw Fernkit's small body clinging onto a small rock.

"Help!" she squealed again.

Dustkit crouched down and was ready to pounce. Smokekit came charging over to him, knocking him down.

"Don't go! What if you sink? We don't know how to swim." Smokekit scowled.

Dustkit got up and looked into his sister's green eyes. The dark gray kit stood her ground, finally Dustkit turned away. He stared at his helpless sister for a moment and sighed.

"What do we do?" he muttered.

"Look for something long." Smokekit suggested. Without another word the tow kits darted around searching to a long object. Dustkit came upon a long stick. Smokekit came rushing over to help her brother. Dustkit grabbed one end with his jaw and Smokekit grabbed the other. The two kits carried the long stick towards the river.

"Pull me back up once I get Fernkit!" Dustkit ordered.

"Wha-? Wait! Don't jump in." Smokekit yelled. But Duskit was already in the water swimming towards Fernkit. Smokekit pushed the half of the stick into the water. Dustkit moved along the stick to he would be pulled down stream. He finally got to Fernkit.

"Grab onto the stick." He mewed. Fernkit weakly leaned her head. She bite the stick and held on, Dustkit did the same. Now it was up to Smokekit to pull them up. She grabbed her end of the stick and began to pull them back to the shore. Smokekit used all her strength and pulled and pulled. Her grip got looser and she accidentally let go of the stick. Dustkit and Fernkit slipped into the water.

"Oh no!" Smokekit yelled. She ran down to the very edge of the river and looked into the water. She saw no sign of her siblings anywhere. Smokekit gulped and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and held it, without any hesitation she dove in.

She swam around aimless for a moment, struggling to get to the surface. Her nose reached the top of the water and she could breathe again. She managed to keep her head out of the water. She blinked a few times and gasped for air.

"Smokekit!" she heard Dustkit yell. Smokekit looked over and saw her brother clinging onto a small lump of grass hanging over the side of the river. He had Fernkit's scruff in his mouth, trying to keep her head out of the water. Smokekit let the river take her to them.

"Hold Fernkit, let me climb up." Dustkit handed Fernkit over to Smokekit and pulled himself up and onto hard ground. Smokekit raised her head and held up Fernkit. Dustkit stretched his head and leaned over to grab his sister's scruff. After, Smokekit made her way up. All the kits were on hard ground again.

"What happened, Fernkit?" Dustkit asked. He shook the water from his tired little body and sat down beside Fernkit.

The young it opened her eyes. "I was hunting near here and I was running fast…I could stop and I fell in." she meowed. After a few moments she coughed out water. "It's hard for me to breathe." She tried to meow but only a whisper came out. "Thank you."

"Rest." Smokekit mewed as she settled down next to her sister. The three kits stayed away from the river's edge in the tall grass. Dustkit was cleaning his pale brown fur and Smokekit keeping an eye out for danger.

Fernkit coughed out some more water, but there was more than just that. Smokekit and Dustkit both turned their head towards their sister. A trickle of blood ran out her mouth, then she cough some more but this time she coughed out a mixture of blood and water.

"What's wrong?" Smokekit asked. She stared at her sister wide eyed. Dustkit began to pace back and forth nervously, unsure of what to do.

"I'm sick." Fernkit mumbled. "I just need some sleep. I'll just take a little nap, then we can…go…search…for our…clan." Her voice began to fade, she closed her eyes and curled into a small ball.

"Fernkit?" Dustkit mewed. He walked over and lay right next to his sister. He was tired too, so he decided to take a nap. Smokekit joined in and sat on the other side of Fernkit. Smokekit could hear her sister wheezing and choking on blood, every now and then she'd cough. She was doing well but at least they'd be safe in the tall grass. The three kits remained hidden, they were safe…for now.

* * *

Poor Fernkit. Find out their fate in the next chapter! Thank you for reading!


End file.
